Cleisocentron

Cleisocentron is a genus of flowering plants from the orchid family, Orchidaceae.^[4] It has a disjunct distribution, known from the Himalayas, Vietnam, China and Borneo.

Clade:Tracheophytes

Clade:Angiosperms

Clade:Monocots

Order:Asparagales

Quick facts Scientific classification, Type species ...

Cleisocentron

Cleisocentron merrillianum
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Plantae
Clade:	Tracheophytes
Clade:	Angiosperms
Clade:	Monocots
Order:	Asparagales
Family:	Orchidaceae
Subfamily:	Epidendroideae
Tribe:	Vandeae
Subtribe:	Aeridinae
Genus:	Cleisocentron Brühl
Type species
Cleisocentron trichromum (Rchb. f.) Brühl^[1]
Synonyms^[2]^[3]
Singchia Z.J.Liu & L.J.Chen

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Description

The species of this genus are tropical epiphytes with a pendent or erect habit. The leaves may be terete or broad. Both types of leaves may occur on the same specimen, as some species exhibit leaf polymorphy.^[5] Three species have blue flowers,^[6] but other colours, such as pink and white also occur.

Cytology

The diploid chromosome count is 2n = 38.^[7]

Etymology

The generic name is derived from the Greek kleistos meaning closed,^[8] as well as kentron meaning spur.^[6]^[8] The name relates to the morphology of the spurred labellum.^[5]

Ecology

Pollination

There have been reports of pollination or visitation by ants, which was observed during field expeditions in Borneo.^[9]^[10] Alternatively, there have been speculations, that the nectariferous flowers are pollinated by butterflies.^[6]

Taxonomy

It was published by Paul Johannes Brühl in 1926^[1]^[11] with Cleisocentron trichromum (Rchb. f.) Brühl as the type species.^[1]

Species

Eight species are currently recognized:^[12]

Cleisocentron abasii Cavestro - Sabah
Cleisocentron gokusingii J.J.Wood & A.L.Lamb - Sabah
Cleisocentron kinabaluense Metusala & J.J.Wood - Sabah
Cleisocentron klossii (Ridl.) Garay - Vietnam
Cleisocentron malipoense (Z.J.Liu & L.J.Chen) R.Rice - Malipo, Yunnan, China ^[13]
Cleisocentron merrillianum (Ames) Christenson - Sabah
Cleisocentron neglectum M.J.Mathew & J.Mathew - India (Karnataka) ^[14]
Cleisocentron pallens (Cathcart ex Lindl.) N.Pearce & P.J.Cribb - eastern Himalayas (Sikkim, Bhutan, Assam, India)

Formerly included species

Cleisocentron collettianum (King & Pantl.) Garay is now considered a synonym of Robiquetia pachyphylla (Rchb.f.) Garay.^[15]

Horticulture

Cleisocentron is rarely found in cultivation.^[8]^[5] However, they are easy to cultivate.^[8] Numerous intergeneric hybrids with Cleisocentron have been described.^[11]